One of the simplest yet most important things to remember in dementia caregiving is that routine is critical. When their day is unstructured, it can feel unpredictable and therefore unsafe for someone with dementia. Routine can provide this needed structure, for both the individual with dementia and the caregiver.
Individuals living with dementia often experience apathy. When someone’s become apathetic, they no longer show interest, enthusiasm or concern about their life. They may not notice or show any reaction to what’s going on around them. This is caused by damage to the frontal lobes of the brain – the area that controls motivation and the ability to plan or sequence actions.
Loving someone with dementia can be so difficult at times. It’s hard to remember on the ‘bad’ days, but they are still capable of feeling love, purpose, fulfillment and joy. The affection that they can show demonstrates how powerful human emotion is, even overcoming cognitive decline. There is joy beyond the diagnosis, not just gloom, and that’s true for you, your loved one and the entire family.
Caregivers have been using technology to help care for individuals with dementia for years. Things like digital reminders, alarm clocks that display the current date and time in large numbers and automatic pill dispensers can be very helpful to both caregivers and their loved ones. And as technology advances, so do dementia caregiving solutions.
Your loved one’s level of safety in and around the home depends on several factors, like if they’re still independent, can still drive & if they need 24/7 care.
Caregiving for a family member with dementia is a tough job, both physically and mentally. And things can get a little more challenging during the holidays. You might find yourself struggling to keep up with your caregiving duties and other obligations, as well as shopping, cooking, cleaning and the other preparations the holiday season often entails.
We know that when it comes to your parent, you want things to stay the same for just a little longer. And maybe you’re not quite sure that they’ll be happy in senior living. We know because we felt the same way. That’s why we founded Sundara – to create a senior living community that felt good enough for our own parents.
Today, about 15.7 million adult family members, many of them are spouses, are in the role of caregiving for someone who has dementia. While caregiving a spouse with dementia is common, it can come with some unique challenges.